NC State/Dixie Zone Masters Meet

By: Celia Wolff

Post-race report. This NC Masters State and Zone meet was a tune-up meet for me. I have been hitting the USRPT (ultra short race pace training) hard for the last three weeks. I wanted to see where my times were prior to the US Masters Nationals for the end of the month in Riverside, CA. Unfortunately, I tried to chop the top of my finger off a week before the meet. That had me out of the water until Friday afternoon so I wasn’t sure how I would do physically. Mentally, I was feeling rested and ready to go.

I had three events each day. Day one was the 100 backstroke, 50 free and 100 IM. My 100’s were not where I had hoped they would be. I was able to take out my backstroke in the goal time I had set but completely died on the second 50, coming in with a 1:11.27. I was looking to be sub 1:09 as I am pushing to hit a 1:06 at Nationals. My 100 IM had me locked up on two of the three walls and turns but the swim felt good. Yet again, another slow time of 1:12.4. My goal had been a 1:10 or faster but with the two bad turns, I consider it close enough. My 50 free felt good and was about where I expected. I swam a:27.54. That’s less than a second off of my best time. With a tech suit and some fine tuning on my turns, I hope to swim a low:26in California.

Day two brought the 50 fly, 50 backstroke, and 100 freestyle. I was right on target with my 50 fly time of 29.51. Again, about a second off of my goal for Nationals. I watched the race and checked my 25 splits and was surprised to find that I even-split the race. VERY unusual for me, and pretty hard to do in a 50. I know that I can take it out faster and bring it back with the same speed. My 50 back was also where I needed it to be.:31.56. Right about a second slower than my best time and goal time for Nationals. I was a bit deep on my start so I can drop time there. Lastly, the 100 free. Currently my “scariest” event. I am not fond of this race because I tend to take it out too fast and die. Well, I didn’t disappoint myself. I succeeded in taking it out in: 29but came back in:33for a 1:02.32. The last 25 was painful but expected. I may just stick to 50’s!

All in all, a good meet for me. I did not rest with any of my weight/cross-training so I was fatigued for the meet. I was also not wearing a tech suit which gives me a mental and physical edge as well. I have extended my repetitions on the usrpt sets to allow for better endurance in my 100s and feel I am where I need to be for the big meet in a couple of weeks.